Air Fryer Chestnuts

Air fried chestnuts are a great alternative to the traditional oven roasting method. These chestnuts are lightly tossed in vegan butter and then sprinkled with a sweet spice blend. They are the perfect holiday treat to snack on alone or with your loved ones.

Any chestnut fans around? I certainly hope so! Chestnuts have been making their way in our house for the past 2-3 years now.

My family are starting to explore foods from other cultures during the festive season with chestnuts being one of them.

We didn't grew up eating chestnuts so they are fairly new to us but they are starting to grow on us now.

I've made Chestnut Pumpkin soup with them which tasted absolutely delicious and now I want to share this air fried method that I am addicted to.

What are chestnuts?

In short, chestnuts are an edible fruit from the deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus Castanea, in the beech family.

They grow in Europe, North America and Asia but tend to be available on a worldwide basis.

Chestnuts grow in clusters, in a green inedible spikey shell. However, the nut inside has a super smooth texture, is shiny with a dark brown hue.

The European/sweet chestnut is typically cultivated for food, during the holiday season including Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.

The chestnut season starts around September and runs up to around January.

Although chestnuts can be eaten in their raw state, the vast majority of people will cook them. 

These cooking methods include roasting, frying, boil, steaming and/or even deep fat frying them.

What do chestnuts taste like?

Chestnuts in their raw/uncooked state are actually quite bitter and crunchy. If you like bitter tasting foods then you will enjoy them when raw.

However, when cooked, they are a complete contrast in taste and much more palatable.

The texture is quite soft, pillowy, with a mild buttery taste which I would say is very similar to sweet potatoes or a starch enriched vegetable.

Can you roast chestnuts in an air fryer?

Absolutely! The answer is yes, you can!

The most famous way to cook chestnuts are in the oven or over an open fire.

However, there are more contemporary ways to cook chestnuts now and by that I mean using the air fryer.

There are so many reasons why you should use the air fryer instead;

• It's cost less to use it than the oven.
• Unlike an open fire which is done outside in the cold, the air fryer is a inside activity.
• It is more efficient and quicker than the oven.
• Its safer and easier to use.
• Easy to clean.
• It's so easy to re-heat the chestnuts.

The steps

• Bring a medium sized saucepan to a boil.
• Meanwhile, prepare the chestnuts by placing them flat side down and rounded side up on a chopping board.
• Use a serrated knife to score an X on the round side that is deep enough to penetrate the hard shell but not too deep as to cut the actual chestnut (this is important so that the steam can escape and the chestnuts don't explode as well making peeling much easier).

• Add the chestnuts to the boiling water and continue to boil for 5 minutes.
• Use a slotted spoon to remove the chestnuts and drain off the excess water.
• Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes.
• Place the chestnuts, flat side down with the X facing upwards.
• Air fry the chestnuts at 374F/190C for roughly 10 minues (the amount of cooking time will vary depending on the size of the chestnuts). You will know when they are completely cooked because the flesh should be more exposed.
• Once cooked, place them in a tea towel while still hot and scoop the chestnuts together in a heap for about one minute (this will help to make steam and make them more manageable to peel).

• Peel the chestnuts while they are still hot and don't allow them to get cold or they will be far too difficult to peel.
• Once peeled, put them in a medium sized bowl.
• Place the cane sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
• Combine the melted butter with the vanilla extract in a small bowl.
• Drizzle and coat the chestnuts with the butter.
• Immediately sprinkle the chestnuts with the sugary mixture.

Notes and tips

• For best results, eat the chestnuts while they are still hot.
• Do NOT allow the chestnuts to completely cool down prior to peeling or you will struggle to remove the outer shell.
• Once the chestnuts are coated in butter, immediately sprinkle on the spice mix so that it adheres to the chestnuts.
• Alternatively, you can roll each chestnut in the spice mix instead, if you want to.
• Use a serrated knife but score the chestnuts.

More festive recipes to try

• Vegan Pistachio Cookies
• Jamaican Fruit Cake
• Vegan Nut Roast
• Craneberry Sauce
• Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies
• Vegan Irish Cream
• Sorrel Jam
• Cranberry Coconut Energy Balls

**Don't forget to comment below and star rate if you have tried my recipes. Let's be friends and engage on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram I also like to pin on Pinterest, where you can find more amazing recipes.**

Air Fryer Chestnuts

Air fried chestnuts are a great alternative to the traditional oven roasting method. These chestnuts are lightly tossed in vegan butter and then sprinkled with a sweet spice blend. They are the perfect holiday treat to snack on alone or with your loved ones.

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetisers/Snacks

Cuisine: American, British

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 299kcal

Author: Charla

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb chestnuts (450g)
• ▢ 3 tablespoon vegan butter (42g)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4g)
• ▢ 3 teaspoon cane sugar (12g)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (0.5g)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (0.5g)

Instructions

• Bring a medium sized saucepan to a boil.
• Meanwhile, prepare the chestnuts by placing them flat side down and rounded side up on a chopping board.
• Use a serrated knife to score an X on the round side that is deep enough to penetrate the hard shell but not too deep as to cut the actual chestnut (this is important so that the steam can escape and the chestnuts don't explode as well making peeling much easier).
• Add the chestnuts to the boiling water and continue to boil for 5 minutes.
• Use a slotted spoon to remove the chestnuts and drain off the excess water.
• Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes.
• Place the chestnuts, flat side down with the X facing upwards.
• Air fry the chestnuts at 374F/190C for roughly 10 minues (the amount of cooking time will vary depending on the size of the chestnuts). You will know when they are completely cooked because the flesh should be more exposed.
• Once cooked, place them in a tea towel while still hot and scoop the chestnuts together in a heap for about one minute (this will help to make steam and make them more manageable to peel).
• Peel the chestnuts while they are still hot and don't allow them to get cold or they will be far too difficult to peel.
• Once peeled, put them in a medium sized bowl.
• Place the cane sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
• Combine the melted butter with the vanilla extract in a small bowl.
• Drizzle and coat the chestnuts with the butter.
• Immediately sprinkle the chestnuts with the sugary mixture.

Notes

• For best results, eat the chestnuts while they are still hot.
• Do NOT allow the chestnuts to completely cool down prior to peeling or you will struggle to remove the outer shell.
• Once the chestnuts are coated in butter, immediately sprinkle on the spice mix so that it adheres to the chestnuts.
• Alternatively, you can roll each chestnut in the spice mix instead, if you want to.
• Use a serrated knife but score the chestnuts.

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 554mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 431IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

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